Professional Mentor (Friend)

About the role

We are currently seeking a mentor for our childhood program (kindergarten to 5th Grade) to serve as a positive adult role model to eight elementary children and develop loving, caring, and sustained relationships with each child. For each child, a Friend will set positive expectations; nurture and promote their strengths, talents, and abilities; help ensure physical and emotional well-being; teach life and academic skills; provide enrichment activities; and model responsible behavior. A Friend will fully document activities and participate in an ongoing evaluation process. Friends will work primarily one-on-one with the children they serve.

Responsibilities

• Spend time with children one-on-one in the community and in their school.
• Develop and sustain a long-term, caring, protective, and loving relationship with each child.
• Partner with parents/caregivers to provide concrete and social emotional supports for the family.
• Set realistic expectations and goals based on each child’s strengths, talents, abilities and needs.
• Teach life skills and help develop a talent/skill/area of interest with each child.
• Deeply connect youth by incorporating specific cultural knowledge in programming.
• Provide enrichment resources and activities that include opportunities for cultural identity development.
• Develop positive relationships with families, teachers and others involved in each child’s life.
• Reinforce basic academic skills.
• Participate in the programming and resources available through the organization, effectively utilizing program resources to meet the needs of each child.
• Maintain spending within budgetary guidelines.
• Complete, distribute and collect time summaries, activity journals, short term plans, expense reports and evaluation materials accurately and in a timely manner.
• Attend and actively participate in team meetings and staff functions.
• Provide information and support to development and executive teams on related activities as needed.
• Transport children in personal vehicle as required for mentoring activities within a 30-mile radius of the Friends Dallas office. This can sometimes result in 90 miles per day. (Mileage will be reimbursed at the standard IRS rate).

Requirements

• Associate degree required; Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 3+ years of experience working/volunteering with children.
• Experience mentoring children who are facing systemic barriers.
• Maintain a current driver’s license, good driving record, and ensure that your vehicle insurance is current.
• Maintain First Aid/CPR certification.
• Willingness to commit to the role for a minimum of three years.

Skills

• Spanish language proficiency is preferred.
• Ability to cultivate trusting relationships with children, parents/caregivers, teachers, community members and other supportive adults in a youth’s environment.
• Strong cross-generational interpersonal skills.
• Ability to demonstrate compassion, patience, and cultural competency for families/youth who have experienced trauma.
• Demonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings to help them learn and grow.
• Ability to set goals and develop plans to meet those goals to ensure the development of each child.
• Ability to use creativity and initiative in planning activities to support child development.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and communicate appropriately within the workplace.
• Ability to work independently in diverse environments with limited supervision.
• Ability to work as a team player.
• Ability to manage several concurrent issues and solve problems effectively exercising appropriate discretion and judgment.
• Ability to exercise good judgment independently, in various situations and environments, and under varying levels of stress.
• Ability to handle high mobility and driving demands safely and with good judgment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to complete administrative tasks accurately and on time.
• Basic computer and keyboarding skills, proficiency with e-mail and database systems. Familiarity with MS Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint preferred.

Benefits

• Employer-paid medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance benefits.
• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• Retirement plan with employer match.

Schedule

This is a full-time, exempt position with a typical workweek of approximately 40 hours. Because of the relationship-based nature of the Friend role, schedules are flexible and may include late afternoons, evenings, and occasional weekends to meet the needs of assigned children and families. Friends are expected to exercise sound judgment in managing their schedules while maintaining consistent, high-quality support and meeting program expectations. Additional hours may occasionally be required based on program activities, organizational priorities, or the needs of children and families.

During the school year, Friends generally work a Tuesday through Saturday schedule, with Sunday and Monday serving as regular days off. During the summer and school breaks, including spring and winter breaks, schedules generally transition to Monday through Friday. Schedules may be adjusted as needed based on program, organizational, or family needs.

Friends are generally expected to spend an average of three hours per week with each assigned child, including time in school and in the community. Friends work with their supervisor to determine how those hours are scheduled, within established program guidelines, to best support each child's success and strengthen relationships with the child and family. The amount and timing of contact may vary based on the child's needs, family circumstances, school schedules, and program priorities. Supervisors may modify schedules as needed to support organizational priorities, program requirements, workload management, or the needs of the children and families served.